As far is US cities go, Miami is one of the most fun. With sunny weather year-round, pleasant climates and beautiful beaches, it’s hard not to fall in love at first sight. If you’re planning a trip to Miami, chances are you won’t be disappointed. Just be sure to fill your itinerary with some of the best places to see in the city. You’ll need to visit the beaches for sure, but there are a few other places you won’t want to miss. Here are the best Miami attractions for both locals and tourists to visit.

Miami vs Miami Beach: What’s the Difference

For anyone who hasn’t ever visited Miami, Miami and Miami beach might seem like the same thing. However, the two are distinct cities that are each governed by their own municipality. Regardless, it’s a good idea to visit both Miami and Miami Beach to view all the attractions in the area.

Best Miami Beaches

What’s a trip to Miami if you don’t visit the beach? Miami has some of the most beautiful and enjoyable beaches – not only in the US, but worldwide. When it comes to beaches in Miami, there are a few you shouldn’t miss out on.

Lummus Park Beach

Lummus park beach is a great place to relax over the weekend. Some of the main activities of the beach include volleyball, sunbathing, swimming and more. The beach also sports trees for shade and some outdoor exercise equipment.

If you get hungry, you won’t need to go far, as Lummus Park Beach has some great restaurants to dine at.

South Pointe Park Pier

South Pointe Park Pier is a lovely, quiet beach away from the busy city life. Facilities as the beach include a play area for children, picnic areas and a fishing pier. For those who like to swim, the beach also has washing stations with showers to rinse away beach sand and water after a dip in the ocean.

Visitors could easily find themselves spending a few hours at South Pointe Park Pier, as there are a few restaurants located on the beach for when hunger starts to set in.

Surfside

Surfside is another Miami attraction that you shouldn’t miss. A popular attraction for both locals and tourists, Surfside is a great for swimming in summer, as lifeguards are on duty this time.

Furthermore, the beach often has live music and there are a few bars in the area to go and enjoy a drink. Another great thing about Surfside is the Surfside Community Centre, where one of the biggest waterparks in Miami are located.

Although there are many other beaches in Miami and surrounds, these three are certainly some of the most central. Other beaches to visit in the area include Houlover Beach. Sunny Isles Beach, Crandon Park and Fort Lauderdale Beach.

Miami Attractions for Nature Lovers

Miami has some great parks to enjoy. The great thing about going to a park is that it’s the perfect place to relax, go slow and breathe in some fresh air.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Any park can offer green trees, green grass and some time in nature, but John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is different. Instead of offering the normal nature experience, this park is dedicated to the coral reef, which means you can explore the sea life in the area.

When visiting the park, the best way to see the reef is through a snorkeling tour or by boat.

Oleta River State Recreation Area

This park is one of Florida’s finest. Oleta River State Recreation Area is a bit of a way out, but well worth the effort. The park offers kayaking, paddleboard, off road bike riding and accommodation in cozy cabins on premise.

Bill Sadowski Park

Ideal for bird watchers and amateur astrologists, the Bill Sadowski Park has beautiful scenic trails. A visit to the park in the evening could see you stargazing from the observatory in the park. Bird watching tours are also available.

Miami Night Time Attractions

After spending a sunny day at the beach or in nature, there’s still plenty more to do in the evenings when you’re in Miami.

Ice Bar

Although you’re visiting Miami for the warm weather, it’s good to mix things up a night to cool off. The Ice Bar offers tours, where you can enjoy drinks and view ice sculptures by Joel Rimer. If you didn’t pack warm clothes, you needn’t worry, as a fur coat, socks and some winter accessories will be part of your tour package.

The ice bar is the perfect place to experience something unique in Miami while enjoying drinks and some live music.

Miami Downtown

Miami Downtown is an area that’s teaming with life at night. With a variety of bars to choose from, it’s the perfect place to go if you want to enjoy a drink and listen to music. Bars are busier on weekends, making it the ideal place to go if you enjoy large crowds. Be sure to look for happy hour discounts at bars because many bars in the area offer happy hour all night long.

South Beach

South Beach is the place to be if you love parties. With a selection of top clubs, world class DJ’s and fun parties, there’s no place in Miami where nighttime is more alive than here.

South Beach has discos, bars, clubs and lounges. Anything you want for a great night out partying. It’s a great place to get social and meet both locals and tourists in the area.

Other Miami Attractions

Miami offers more than just beaches, nature and spectacular nightlife activities. The city also offers historical attractions and unique shopping locations.

Bayside Marketplace

Bayside marketplace is a great place to go if you need a little retail therapy. With more than 150 specialty shops, cafes and restaurants, Bayside Marketplace is a great place to unwind, buy some souvenirs and enjoy a cup of coffee or a meal.

Open from 10am to 10- or 11pm every day of the week except Sunday, it can also be a great place to go for a relaxed evening out.

The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a beautiful place to visit. The museum boasts a garden and interior designed with Renaissance in mind. It’s this European style will make you feel as if you’ve been transported to a different country altogether.

Miami Science Museum

Miami Science Museum offers an impressive range of interactive exhibits. Some of the main themes covered are physics, chemistry and biology. The museum is the perfect place to go for a fun day out with the family. It’s a great opportunity to teach kids science while learning more about it yourself.

The museum was established in 1950 and has grown significantly since that time.

Exhibits are changed regularly, so even after the first visit, there’s always more to go back for.

Transport Options for Miami Tourists

When it comes to getting around in Miami, visitors have a couple of options to choose from. For those who want a car, renting is an option, but it’s usually more expensive than alternatives.

Public Transport

Miami has a bus system that runs to many of the popular locations in the city. While bus fair is cheap, taking the bust means planning your daily itinerary around when the next bus will be available to pick you up. You’ll also need to ensure you have change on you, as only exact change will be accepted for bus fares/

Another option is the trolleys. The trolleys operate in Miami, Miami Beach and are free of charge, but limited destinations are available. One of the main benefits of the trolleys is that they connect the bus system, which can make if easier to catch a bus if you don’t want to wait at your current location.

Miami Yellow Taxis

Yellow taxis are the ideal transportation if you want to explore Miami on your own time. Rates are generally affordable and the cost per mile decreases the further you go. When traveling a bit further out where public transport isn’t available, taxis are one of the cheapest options for transport in Miami.

The sunshine state is always teaming with tourists and holiday-goers. From beautiful beaches to ideal weather conditions, Miami has it all! But not all visitors to Miami are here for recreational purposes. Miami was recently named the top city for small businesses in America, making it a booming business hub with lots of growth. As businesses in Miami grow, the city can expect to see more business travelers. Here’s why taking a Miami taxi is one of the best ways to get around the city.

Miami As a Business City

Miami has a modest population compared to cities like New York and Los Angeles. Still Miami managed to rank first in a recent report by Biz2Credit as the best city to start a business in America.

Business growth and profit margins compared to debts were two important ranking factors. To compile the list of 25 top cities for small business in America, small businesses with less than 250 with an annual revenue of less than $10 million were examined.

There are a couple of businesses in Miami that particularly stand out. Miami’s booming tourism industry has long been a source of income for the city. Seeing as weather in Miami is always pleasant, the tourism industry is busy year-round.

Miami is also a central point for importing and exporting. The city has one of the busiest ports in America and Miami International Airport is receives the most cargo flights from South America and the Caribbean compared to any other U.S city.

To further Miami’s business thriving business activities, it’s also a media center for the Spanish language. Many of the biggest Spanish media outlets are either based in, or have key branches in Miami.

Miami Taxis Remain Popular

Despite the ride-sharing becoming the craze in recent years, taxis in Miami are far from going extinct. In April 2015, 10 months after ride-sharing provider Uber launched in the city, taxis were still far more popular option for business travelers to get around.

Although the rise of ride-sharing has impacted the taxi industry worldwide, taxis in Miami remain very popular, even in 2019. There’s a simple reason for this – Miami taxis are among the best in the world!

There are several reasons why business travelers in Miami prefer to take a taxi rather than reaching for their smart phones.

Taxi Transport to Miami International Airport

Business travelers can enjoy the convenience of taking a taxi to or from Miami International Airport. Most Miami taxi companies charge an affordable flat rate for airport trips. Most business travelers arrive in Miami at the airport, so transport to and from Miami Airport will be an important part of the trip.

Ride-share providers were banned in from operation at Miami Airport at some stage, but this is no longer in effect, which means travelers have a choice between taking a taxi or an Uber.

There’s a good reason why Uber wasn’t allowed at Miami Airport. Ride-sharing providers were banned in Miami-Dade county till 2016. This didn’t stop them from operating in the area though, as Uber was illegally operating in the county since the summer of 2014.

Regardless, Uber and other ride-sharing providers are now legally operating in Miami-Dade county and the airport is no exception. There might still be misinformation regarding the legality of ride-share providers in Miami, especially for visitors who heard of the ban, but aren’t sure if it’s in effect anymore.

What should be noted, is that taking a taxi from the airport rather than a ride-sharing car, still offers many advantages. More about this later on.

Taking a Taxi to Work in Miami

Business travelers differ from tourists and holiday-goers in one simple way – they need to work. A lot of business travelers need to go into work on a daily basis and return to their accommodation in the evenings.

The problem with catching a ride-sharing car is that rates differ depending on current demand. In peak hour traffic, everyone is trying to get around. Rates for a ride-share car will be far more expensive because of this.

Taxis, on the other hand, charge the same rate per mile any time of the day, so they’re definitely a better choice for daily commute to work and back.

Ask a local Miami taxi service if they can collect you every morning at a certain time for the duration of your stay in the city. This is much more convenient than even going on an app to get your ride every day. Just don’t let your driver wait for you, as this will inflate the costs. If you’re unsure what time you’ll finish work each day, rather tell the taxi service to arrange for a time every day.

To set up an arrangement for a taxi to collect you from your accommodation every day, call Yellow Taxi Miami and speak to get assistance from our friendly staff.

Taking Taxis for Recreational Purposes

Want to go to Miami beach in your spare time? No problem. Taking a taxi is a great way to get there. The benefit of taking a taxi to Miami beach is that – same as with your daily commute to work – you won’t need to pay more during busy times. Over the weekend, a lot of people are traveling to the beach and back, which can significantly increase the demand for rides.

Disadvantages of Ride-Sharing

As mentioned earlier, there are a number of reasons why taking a taxi can be better than reaching for your smartphone. Here are some of the disadvantages of ride-share providers.

Driver Background Checks

The whole concept behind ride-sharing is that anyone with a car that qualifies can sign up as a driver. This makes it a lot more difficult to scan drivers for background checks.

Taxis are regulated by the government and so are the drivers. Taxi drivers usually have to undergo background checks. Criminal records, health aptitude tests and previous driving offenses, such as DUI charges.

Although many ride-share drivers are very professional, and some even have experience as cab drivers, ride-share providers simply don’t have the same capacity to screen all their drivers. The driver rating system on the app can help monitor drivers, but it isn’t as reliable as proper screening.

Various incidents have taken place where Uber drivers harmed passengers. In 2016 an Uber driver named James Dalton turned out to be a serial killer, after murdering six of his passengers in Kalamazoo. This is also just one of the most drastic incidents involving a ride-share driver – there are more.

Of course, even drivers without criminal records can harm passengers. The benefit of taxi cabs compared to ride-share is just that there’s more accountability. Under its terms and conditions, Uber accepts no harm to passengers in these circumstances. Whether a driver robs a passenger at gunpoint, or kills them, Uber won’t be held liable for such incidents.

Ride-share Risks for Drivers

Ride-sharing not only poses more risk for passengers, but also drivers. Seeing as ride-share providers aren’t employees, they receive no health benefits – not even in cases where they get injured on the job.

There have been incidents where passengers have assaulted Uber drivers. To some extent, the assaults should come as no surprise, as a lot of Uber passengers use the service to avoid driving while under the influence. This means that being an Uber driver on a typical Friday night can actually be risky.

Nevertheless, cab drivers will face the same risk when transporting drunk passengers. The main difference, however, is once again accountability. An employee at a cab company can expect to get some compensation for medical bills and paid leave during hospitalization in such an incident – ride-share providers, once again, won’t accept any liability in these cases.

One of the objections from drivers was that there’s little to no investigation into passenger complaints. If a driver receives too many complaints, he or she will simply be “deactivated” (which in this case means fired) at the press of a button. This makes for very volatile income security for drivers.

Of course, not all passenger complaints are necessarily reasonable. Many drivers complained of bad reviews as a result of racism or discrimination on behalf of their passengers. Furthermore, drivers could get bad reviews if a passenger is late for an important meeting after getting stuck in traffic. It goes without saying, drivers themselves would change traffic conditions if they could. Faster trips mean more trips. More trips mean more income. But it’s humanly impossible to make traffic congestion disappear.

Still there will always be passengers who are unreasonable “bad apples” and punish drivers for circumstances out of their control.

To conclude, taking a taxi is not only cheaper in peak hour traffic, it’s a responsible choice for your own safety and the well-being of your drivers.

Rozanne WildsWhy Taking a Miami Taxi is Best for Business Travelers?06.06.2019

When most people think of a taxi cab, an image of a yellow sedan immediately comes to mind. While there are some exceptions in certain places (like London, where taxis are black) the most common taxi color is yellow in most places worldwide. In some cities and countries where taxis aren’t painted yellow, the taxi sign placed on top of the roof is usually yellow. The point? It seems that taxis and the color yellow are almost synonymous.

Many people are curious as to why yellow is the most common color choice for taxis. The answer is actually quite simple – yellow is a noticeable color, which helps passengers spot the taxi cabs more easily. There are, however, some facts about the yellowness of taxis you might not know.

The History of Taxis

The history of taxis goes back further than the automotive industry. Paris was one of the first cities to have taxis in 1640. London was also early to adopt a taxi system early. The Hackney Carriage Act, a set of regulations regarding taxis, was published as early as 1935! These early taxis were horse drawn carriages with drivers, as no cars existed at the time.

Cars became more popular around the late 1800’s. Although the first available cars were still slow and very expensive. Most middleclass working people were unable to afford a family car at the time. This created a good business opportunity for German inventor and entrepreneur Gottlieb Daimler, who started the first metered taxi company in the year 1897. Daimler invented his own automobile which he used for his taxis. He bought meters to measure the trip distances and travel times from another German inventor, Wilhelm Bruhn.

In 1891, the German inventor Wilhelm Bruhn invented an instrument to measure the amount of time or distance a vehicle has travelled. He called his invention a taximeter, and it allowed taxi drivers to determine rates for fares in a fair and precise manner. The similarity between the word taxi and the word taximeter is quite noticeable. This naming similarity is no coincidence though, as modern taxis are named after the taximeter.

Interestingly enough, Daimler’s contribution to the automotive industry stretches much further than the inception of the first metered taxis. Daimler’s automotive company, the Daimler Motor Corporation is still one of the biggest players in the automotive industry worldwide to this day.

Daimler Motor Corporation was made infamous for the production of Carl Benz’s patented car, which is considered to be the first car ever engineered. This was the result of an agreement between Carl Benz and a Daimler sales agent named Emil Jellinek in 1926. This agreement subsequently led to the inception of the Mercedes-Benz brand. Daimler Motor Corporation still owns the Mercedes-Benz brand.

Although cars weren’t very common or accessible before Henry Ford developed and introduced his Ford T model to the market in 1908, automotive taxis were popular in many cities around the world prior to Ford’s T model. In fact, in 1899, there were approximately 100 motorized taxis operating in the streets of New York City.

Even after the Ford T model became an affordable as a family car, the taxi industry still grew. Affordability can be relative, so many families still couldn’t afford to have a car, whereas other individuals simply enjoyed the ease and comfort of using a taxi cab.

Why Are Taxi Cabs Yellow?

Although the history of automotive taxis goes back to 1897, taxis weren’t always yellow. The yellow taxi cab was first introduced in 1915 by a car salesman named John Hertz. Hertz started selling cars in 1904. He soon found himself with a number of trade in cars, which he decided to use as taxi cabs in order to make automotive transportation more affordable to the wider public. By 1907, Hertz had seven trade in cars running in his fleet.

Hertz decided to put the color of his taxis to the test. He wanted to unify his fleet by painting all the cars in the same color. To make the cars stand out, he aimed to paint the cars in a color that can could easily be spotted.

Hertz decided to paint his taxis yellow because of a study by a Chicago university to establish what color would grab the attention of passersby more easily. The results proved that yellow with a touch of red was most noticeable. As a result, Hertz started to paint all his taxi cabs yellow and went on to start the Chicago-based Yellow Cab Company in 1915.

Hertz later went on to expand his business into the rental car business. In 1954, Hertz purchased a Chicago based car rental company named Rent-a-car Inc., which was originally founded by entrepreneur Walter L. Jacobs. He renamed his company to The Hertz Motor Corporation and expanded his business over time. Eventually, Hertz’s car rental company grew to one of the biggest globally and is still a household name in car rentals in modern day times.

The interesting fact about Hertz and his car rental company is that two major players in the development of the taxi industry owned businesses that are still well-known today: Hertz and Daimler. While Hertz and Daimler’s contributions to their bigger companies are well-known, few people know how the yellow taxi industry developed simultaneously with other advancements in the automotive industry. Also interesting is that both Daimler and Hertz started with taxi companies, expanding into other automotive industries later on.

Yellow Taxis Before Hertz

While Hertz was first to base the color of his taxis on a study, many taxis were painted yellow before Hertz’s. A lot of taxi fleet owners believed yellow to be a superior color that made taxis easy to recognize.

New Yorker Albert Rockwell started a taxi company in 1908. His wife, Nettie, liked the color yellow and suggested that Rockwell paint his taxis this color, along with a signature R on the doors to distinguish his taxis. Rockwell believed that his wife’s suggestion would help his taxis stand out, as yellow is a bright color. Albert Rockwell incorporated his company under the name, Yellow Taxi Cab Company in 1912, three years prior to Hertz’s Yellow Cab Company in 1915.

Before Rockwell’s yellow taxis. Taxis were painted all kinds of different colors. Each taxi company had their own unique way of painting. One of the first taxi company founders in America, Harry Allen from New York, painted his taxis in red and green.

Regardless of the fact that Rockwell most likely had the first yellow taxis, it was Hertz who popularized the color.

By 1969, New York City had restrictions on the colors that taxis were allowed to be. Yellow was the color of choice.

What Color Are Taxis in Miami?

Like most other US cities, Miami sports bright yellow taxis. Companies such as Miami-based Yellow Taxi Miami is one of the popular choices among local residents and tourists alike.

With rates as low as $2.95 per mile, Yellow Taxi Miami offers a highly affordable and easy-to-use taxi service in the greater Miami area. Arrangements can also be made for taxis to drop off and pick up passengers from the airport. Yellow taxi Miami offers commute to all of Miami’s most popular beaches, shopping centers and other attractions.

To make a scheduled appointment for a taxi or inquire about taxi services, you can contact Yellow Taxi Miami to learn more.

Are Yellow Taxis Really More Noticeable?

According to scientific research, red is the least noticeable color at a distance. Green is one of the colors that the human eye can most easily pick up during the day. The only problem with using green is that natural surroundings such as trees and grass are also green, which makes it more difficult for the color to stand out.

Even so, green remains as one of the easiest colors in the world to spot from a distance, with a bright green color, bordering between neon green and neon yellow, reportedly being the world’s most visible color.

There’s a difference between the most visible and brightest color, though. While green is most easy to see during the day, yellow is more noticeable in bad light conditions. Yellow is the brightest color in the spectrum, with the brightest color being very bright yellow.

So yes, yellow does stand out among other colors and can easily be spotted from a distance. What makes yellow taxi cabs even more noticeable, is that few cars that aren’t taxis are painted bright yellow.

While going on a trip is exciting and fun, sitting at the airport and making travel arrangements is never as enjoyable. Whatever the reason for your trip to Miami International Airport, you can make sure you’re prepared. By making travel arrangements to and from the airport in advance, as well as planning out a set schedule, there are many ways you can make your visit to Miami International Airport a pleasant one.

Before Going to the Airport

There are a few things that you might not yet have thought of that can help make your flight experience much more comfortable. There are so many things to organize when you’re making travelling arrangements, it’s easy for the smaller details to slip through the cracks.

Choose Your Outfit Ahead of Time

To start with, always decide what you’ll wear during your flight well in advance. This isn’t so you can make sure you’re looking stylish, however. Instead, choose some of your most comfortable clothing and make sure that every single item of clothing your wear on the flight is some of your most comfortable. At the same time, keep in mind that you still need to look presentable, so don’t go in anything too informal.

Choosing your outfit in advance means you’ll be able to make sure it’s washed and ready on the day of the flight. It will also help you remember not to pack your chosen outfit into your suitcase.

Make Sure You Know Where the Airport Is

Studying a map of the airport location beforehand can help a lot. Knowing where you’re headed to will prevent you from getting lost while traveling to the airport. You can also lookup to see if you’re able to find maps of the airport interior. This can help you keep track of where your gate and check in area will be.

Take Some Entertainment to Stay Busy

Also consider how you’ll keep yourself occupied during flights, or while waiting for your next flight connection. Take a good book, compile a playlist you like on your phone, or load some movies you want to watch onto your tablet. While many airplanes nowadays have inflight entertainment with movies, music and other entertainment, there’s no guarantee you’ll find something that suits your tastes. If you’re planning to watch movies or listen to music, also be sure to take a good set of headphones with you.

Traveling with Children

If you have children flying with you, also take some things to keep them busy, such as a coloring book with pencils, a tablet with their favorite movies or a handheld game console.

When traveling with a baby or toddler, keep in mind that many small children struggle with ear pain on flights. It might be worth it to visit your doctor to get a subscription for pain medication that can help. When taking any medication onboard a flight, it’s always best to have a prescription, even if the medication you’re taking is an over-the-counter drug.

Hand Luggage Allowances

Always be sure to check what the hand luggage guidelines are for whatever airline you’re flying with. Some airlines will allow you to take a small suitcase as well as one additional piece of luggage, such as a handbag or laptop bag. Other airlines will only allow one piece of hand luggage, meaning you’ll have to choose between a small suitcase or your laptop.

If you have any special equipment, such as a camera, check to make sure you’ll be allowed to take this on the flight with you as well.

Traveling with Animals and Pets

If you’re planning to take a pet, or work animal, such as a blind guide dog, also be sure to make travel arrangements for your pet well in advance. Arriving at the airport with animal when you haven’t pre-arranged how they will be traveling could cause you miss your flight, as you simply won’t be able to leave the pet behind.

Tips for Once You’re At the Airport

Arriving at the airport can be a big moment, especially if you’ve never traveled anywhere by air before. Firstly, always try to arrive at the airport early. Even up to 3 hours before your flight. Once you’re at the airport, however, you don’t need to feel rushed, as you’re unlikely to miss your plane.

Locate Your Check-in Counters

If you’re traveling from a new airport, the first thing you should do when you arrive is to go to the area where you’ll be checking in. Just make sure your check-in counters are where you would’ve thought. As long as you know exactly how to get to your flight check-in, you don’t need to stand and wait there.

Charge Your Mobile Devices

Chances are you’ll be using your phone, tablet or laptop as a source of entertainment throughout the flight. To throughout the flight, your devices will need to be charged. Find a spot near a charging outlet and charge all your devices before you go onboard.

Don’t Be Hurried

Whether you’re waiting to check-in or to board your flight, there’s no need to be in a hurry. Passengers are often scared that their flight will leave without them, but this rarely ever happens. You don’t need to be waiting in the check-in queue the moment your flight is open for check-in. If you’re running late for your flight and the check-in queue is long, an announcement will usually call all the passengers that have not yet checked in to the front, meaning you might even be able to skip the queue.

The earlier you check in your luggage, the longer it will take you to get it on the carousel later. This is because luggage that’s checked in first is loaded into the plane first, so it will also be unpacked last.

The same applies for when boarding starts. There’s no use to queue by your gate ten minutes before boarding even starts. Waiting till the queue disappears before you board can offer many advantages. Once you arrive on the plane, most of the passengers will already be seated, meaning you won’t have to push your way through the busy, narrow passages to get to your seat. As an added benefit, you’ll easily be able to see what seats aren’t taken, which means you could perhaps get a better seat than you booked.

Transport to and from Miami International Airport

Transportation to and from the airport is one of the most important things you’ll have to plan. When planning your transport, remember that you won’t just need space for yourself, but also for all your luggage. Because of this, public transport isn’t a very attractive option for traveling to and from Miami international airport, as you might not have some space of your own to put all your things.

The most popular choices for transport to and from the airport include:

Taking your own car and paying for parking at the airport

Getting a ride through an app

Booking a Miami taxi cab

Taking your own car to go to the airport and paying for parking is a good option if you’re not planning to be away for too long. The downside of leaving your car parked at the airport, however, is that the longer you leave it there, the more expensive parking costs will be.

In some cases, you might just not be able to drive to the airport yourself. This leaves you with two options, either book a ride through an app, or call a taxi service. Both options have advantages and drawbacks. One of the biggest advantages of getting a ride through an app is that it’s usually available 24/7, however, most taxi services offer the same benefit.

Hiring a taxi to take you to the airport offers many advantages. For instance, most taxi services will offer a flat rate to drop you off at the airport and pick you up. You can book a taxi in advance so that your driver is already waiting once you arrive.

Just keep in mind that you’ll likely be charged for any time your driver spends waiting for you, so don’t book for your taxi to fetch you earlier than your flight will be landing. In fact, it’s better to book your taxi to come fetch you approximately one hour after your plane is expected to land. This will give you enough time to get your luggage from the carousel and get through customs before your taxi arrives.

If your flight is late, the extra hour might also help keep you almost on-time, even if you’re a bit late. In cases where you know your flight will be late before you take off, always remember to call your taxi and reschedule the time your driver must come fetch you.

It doesn’t matter whether you live in Miami, Fl or if you’re just visiting for a holiday, transport is an important thing to budget for. Knowing the average price of cab fares in Miami can help you plan your budget based on your transport needs.

Average Cab Fares in Miami

Miami taxis offer a very affordable way to get around the city. At Yellow Taxi Miami, we aim to offer you competitive rates on all our taxi services. Are rates are as follows:

$2.95 for the first 1/6 of a mile

$0.85 for each additional mile until 1 mile

$0.40 for each 1/6 of a mile after that

This means that you can expect to pay a minimum of $2.95 for your cab fare in Miami. Your first mile will cost $7.20, while each additional mile after that will cost you only $2.40!

These rates are in line with the industry standards in Miami, and you can expect to pay a similar rate for any taxi service.

We offer our premium taxi service on a 24 hour basis, allowing you to catch a taxi at any time you need to. Our rates stay the same regardless of whether you’re catching a taxi at 1 PM in the afternoon or 1 AM in the morning. Yellow Taxi Miami is always here for you!

There are some exceptions to the cab fare costs as listed above. One exception in airport transport. Catching a taxi from the airport is a service that’s often available at a flat rate, regardless of how far your destination is you can expect to pay only $36 or so for transport!

Taxi Cab Fares vs Public Transport

Public transport is perhaps one of the cheapest ways to get around in Miami for both residents and visitors. However, there are some drawbacks to taking public transport.

Firstly, you’ll always need to catch your bus or train. If you’re already late for work, or you have an emergency situation, waiting for the next bus or train simply isn’t an option. Worse yet, you may stand an wait for a bus, only to find that it’s too full, meaning you’ll have to wait even longer for another bus.

There’s a good stop the nearest train or bus stop won’t drop you off at your exact destination either. This means you’ll need to spend a large amount of time walking, both when catching a bus and after getting dropped off.

Perhaps one of the biggest drawbacks of using public transport, however, is having a lot of baggage. In most cases, you are allowed to carry this baggage onto your bus or train. However, if you have more baggage than you can carry, walking with your baggage to your final destination from the drop off point isn’t an option.

This makes a taxi service a far more attractive option for if you’re travelling to and from the airport, or if you want to go do your monthly grocery shopping.

Taxi companies also have insurance to provide for you in the case of an accident, which is another benefit of taking a taxi instead of the bus.

Another benefit of taking a taxi is that you won’t need to pay per person. So taking a taxi is a great way for families to get around.

Cab Fares in Miami for Visitors

Cab fares in Miami are the same for permanent residents as for visitors and holiday goers. However, there are some differences in the services holiday goers are interested, versus what permanent residents will need.

If you’re coming to Miami as a holiday goer, there’s a good chance you’ll be interested in transport from the airport to your accommodation. Many tourists take a special airport shuttle from this, but it’s overpriced and it offers no benefit over taking a taxi. Many taxi companies, such as Yellow Taxi Miami, can help you get to your intended destination for cheaper. Ask us about a flat rate for transportation from the airport and see how you can save money.

Cut Back on Your Travel Budget

Your travel budget will depend on your personal needs. If you’re visiting Miami for business, chances are you won’t be travelling much during the day, as you’ll spend this time working.

However, keep in mind that you may still want to go sightseeing in the evening and over weekends. Find out about the best taxi fare prices to and from the beach, as the beach is a popular place for Miami tourists to visit. Also keep in mind that you’ll need to pay taxi fares to get to your business appointments, visit restaurants and go to popular shopping destinations.

When visiting Miami for business, there’s a good chance you’ll need to travel in peak hour traffic. If this is the case, be sure to always make use of a taxi service instead of booking a ride on a smartphone app. Rideshare providers often increase their rates based on supply and demand, meaning you’ll pay more for getting a ride with your phone than if you were to use a taxi in peak hour.

Seeing as you’ll mainly have weekends available to go to the beach, the same supply and demand issue may increase the cost of your transport for visiting the beach. Once again, using a Miami taxi service will save you money.

If you’re coming to Miami as a holiday goer, you’ll have the same needs as someone visiting for business. Using a taxi service can still help you save money when travelling during peak hours.

Saving on Transport for Permanent Residents

If you’re a permanent resident in Miami, there’s a good chance you use a taxi to travel to work and back every day. If you’ve been using a rideshare provider for your daily commute needs, there’s a good chance you’re overpaying. As mentioned, rideshare providers increase their rates based on the supply and demand. In peak hour times, there’s a lot more demand than supply, so the transport costs can skyrocket during these times.

Taxi services offer the same rate regardless of the time of day, meaning you can save on your daily transport costs by opting for a yellow taxi rather than a rideshare provider.

In your leisure time, it’s also always worth comparing the costs between using a rideshare provider and cab fare. Cab fare rates in Miami are predictable, so by looking on your app, you’ll easily be able to know what option is cheaper.

Benefits of Taking a Taxi

There are many benefits to taking a taxi as your chosen means of transport. Not only are cab fares in Miami often cheaper than other options, there are also additional benefits such as:

Professional drivers: Taxi companies take a lot of time to screen drivers. Only the best drivers are accepted

Insurance coverage: There are different kinds of transport available in Miami, but alternatives like public transport might not cover you in case anything unexpected happens

Reliable: Taxis have been a popular form of transport for many decades now. You can rely on a yellow cab to get you exactly where you need to go in time

Exceptional service: Taxi services take customer satisfaction seriously. Your business means the world to them. If you aren’t satisfied with the service you receive, the taxi service company will welcome your feedback

All these benefits add up to make taxi services and affordable, convenient and reliable means of transportation. Considering the benefits, it’s no wonder that taxi services are still so popular in Miami.

Getting around is an important part of everyday life. Whether commuting to work and back, going to the shops or visiting friends and family – transport is an essential part of life. Nowadays, consumers have more options than ever to get around. Public transport, owning a car, using ridesharing services or traditional taxis are some of the main options available to commuters.

When it comes to using rideshare versus catching a taxi, the difference can be somewhat vague. Both rideshare providers and taxi’s offer travelers the ability to get a ride using their phones, but they aren’t exactly the same.

What Is a Rideshare Provider?

Rideshare providers are companies that allow their customers to get a ride using an app on their mobile phone, or even a website. Rideshare provider customers simply log into their app, choose their destination and book a ride.

A pool of drivers make use of the app to see where there are commuters, as well as where these commuters are heading. If a trip seems doable, the driver accepts the job, fetches the commuter for his/her current location and drops them off at their destination.

Currently, two of the biggest rideshare companies in the market are Uber and Lyft.

The rise of technology is largely responsible for the popularity of rideshare services that use an app. The ease of ordering a ride on an app makes rideshare services a quite attractive option for a lot of modern consumers.

An important distinction making rideshare providers stand out is their relationship with their drivers. While traditional taxi services employ their own drivers, rideshare providers merely offer a service that connects independent drivers to passengers. These drivers are often self-employed drivers making use of the app to get customers. In some cases, drivers might also work for a company which uses a rideshare app as a platform to gain clientele.

However, in both cases the drivers aren’t directly associated with the rideshare provider. The service offered by rideshare providers isn’t actually transportation, as the provider won’t own the cars that passengers travel in or employ the drivers. In reality, rideshare providers are service providers that bring together passengers and drivers on one easily accessible app. When viewed in that way, the service rideshare providers offer is their app.

Rideshare vs Ride-Hailing Meanings

Traditionally speaking, the services offered by rideshare providers isn’t what ridesharing was all about. The more accurate word for these, and any other taxi service is ride-hailing.

Ridesharing usually refers more to carpooling, where different passengers share the same car to travel to a destination. Often, carpooling passengers have the same final destination in terms of the city, town or area they’re traveling to, but they’re looking to go to a different physical address.

Ride-hailing is the same as calling a taxi or booking a ride on an app, where the passenger books to go to a destinatioSn of their own choice down to the exact physical address.

Regardless of the traditional differences between ridesharing and ride-hailing in technical definition, apps like Uber and Lyft call themselves ridesharing providers. The term by which these companies refer to themselves can’t really be disputed. However, it’s clear from the original definitions that rideshare providers actually came into the market providing ride-hailing services.

Traditional Taxis

Almost everyone is familiar with traditional taxis. The history of taxis goes all the way back to the 17th century, when horse-drawn carriages where used as a means of transportation. Since then, cars have come onto the scene, which has made traveling in a taxi a lot faster and more convenient.

When passengers wish to ride in a taxi, there are multiple ways to get a ride. One of these ways is to stand on the street, wait for a taxi cab to pass by and to hail a ride. The other way is to make a phone call and book a ride to your intended destination.

Neither of these options are quite as convenient as using an app, but that doesn’t mean taxi services aren’t useful anymore. There are many occasions where a taxi service can be a much better choice than using a rideshare provider.

Unlike with rideshare providers, taxi services employ their own drivers and own all their cars. The benefit in this is that all the cars look the same, as many passengers hail a ride while standing next to the road, taxi’s are usually bright yellow. This allows them to stand out among other cars.

Rideshare vs Taxi’s: Which is Better?

Both rideshare and taxi’s are accessible options for passengers to get around. Neither one is specifically bad, although are instances in which one could be better than the other.

Insurance Policies

All taxi service companies are required by law to have insurance. This insurance is to cover any damages in the case of an accident, regardless of whether it’s physical injury or damage to property.

This means that customers traveling with a taxi to their intended destination are covered in the event of an accident. Valuable goods can also be transported onboard a taxi, as damage to these goods will be covered by insurance if they’re damaged in an accident.

Rideshare companies must also comply with the law, and so these companies also offer insurance for every car that’s registered with them. While many passengers believe rideshare services aren’t insured, this is illegal and these companies couldn’t operate if that were the case.

On top of the insurance offered by the rideshare provider, the individual driver’s car insurance might also pay out in the case of injury during an accident, although this amount most probably won’t amount to much for Miami drivers, as the minimum insurance requirements in Florida aren’t very high.

Driver Background Checks

Both taxi services and rideshare providers do checks on drivers beforehand. The minimum requirements for individual taxi companies and rideshare providers can differ. However, it’s common for both types of companies to require drivers to have a minimum of 5 to 7 years without felony charges before application.

Both taxi companies and rideshare providers also offer service quality control. In the case of rideshare providers, customers can rate their driver in the app. This encourages drivers to offer good service and behave in a professional manner during trips, as drivers with higher ratings are often rewarded by the app. Customers will also complain about getting a driver with a low rating, so too many low ratings could mean the end of a driver’s career.

With taxi services, customers are encouraged to report unprofessional behavior from drivers directly to the taxi service. Unprofessionalism or bad driving are major concerns and a driver that causes too much concern could lose their job.

Some taxi services also do additional checks on drivers, such as fitness aptitude tests and driving tests to check coordination and reaction times while driving.

Cost Comparison

Rideshare companies normally charge based on the current demand. What this means is that peak hour traffic times will be much more expensive than traveling at midnight, for instance. This could lead to extremely high costs for trips during peak hours.

Taxi services usually charge a flat rate based on the distance of a trip, although some companies might slightly adjust their rates during rush hour times, as trips will take longer in congested traffic.

However, taxi services are generally much cheaper for traveling in peak times than rideshare. Because so many consumers use rideshare services, the spike in demand for trips on rideshare apps in peak hour will show in the price you pay for a trip.

An additional cost associated with taxi services is tipping the driver. However, tips are optional and passengers can give drivers better tips based on their level of professionalism and how safely they drive.

Transporting Many Passengers

Both rideshare providers and taxi services make use of 5-seater sedans for transporting passengers. Because of this, all cars can transport a maximum of 4 passengers per trip, as one seat is always reserved for the driver.

To transport more than 4 passengers, an additional car has to be booked.

However, when scheduling a ride in advance, such as collection from an airport or party, calling a taxi service is better for transporting many passengers. This is because all cars will leave to collect passengers from the same location at the same time. The drivers will drive together and the taxis will arrive to collect passengers together. This allows passengers to drive together to their destination and arrive at the same time.

When booking two or more cars with a rideshare service, the drivers will most likely travel from different locations and arrive to pick up passengers at different times.

To conclude, both rideshare services and taxis are good options for transport. However, there are still cases where taxis can be cheaper or more practical to use than rideshare services.